Condenser



July' 3, 41928.

1,675,470 J. H. SMITH GONDENSER Filed Oct. 50, 1926 LSA.

lnsnath.

INVENTOR y ATTORNEY Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONDENSER.

Application filed October 30, 1 926.

My invention relates' to condensers of thc surface type and has for its objeetto provide apparatus of the character designated, equipped for cutting out of operation a 'portion of its `tube nest while another part is in operation, and wherein more eflicient operation of the condenser is secured when a section is cut out of operation. u

More specifically the object of my invention is to provide apparatus of the character designated wherein all of the condensable vapors passing into the condenser' are forced to go througha cooled portion of the ltube liest when another `portion cut out` oit operation.

These and other objects are secured by apparatus made in accordance with my invent-ion and illustrated in the accompanymgl drawings wherein z Fig. 1 is ay side elevation partly in section and with parts removed, of a condenser made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end. view of the condenser shown in Fig. 1 and partly in section to show the interior construction of the water box;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken alongl the plane III-1II of Fig. 1.

.lnthe operation of surface condensers, it has been found desirable to provide divided flow means for thecooling water passing tion of the tubes may be cleaned at a time Without totally interfering with the opera-` tion of the condenser. Difficulties have been encountered, however, in operating a eonp denser of this character with a portion oi the cooling 'tubes cut out of service due to condensable vapors passing directly to the air ollltalie of the condenser without iirst coming in contact with suiiieient cooling tubes. This action has greatly reduced the vacuum obtainable in the condenser and has, at times, seriously interfered with the opera# tion of the power plant. f f

In accordance with my invention, the above enumerated difficulties have been overcome by providing, in a condenser of the character described, an improved air otttalte whereby, when coolingwater is cut oif from a section of the tube nest, the condensable vapors are directed through a cooled section of the tube nest. I furthermore so arrange the air removal means that air and non-con- `well 13.

Serial No. 145,198.

dens-able vapors are removed only from a cooled section of the tube nest when a portion thereof is cut outof service. During such times the air remo al apparatus nor mally operating to remove air and noirceudensable vapors from all sections of the tube nest all utilized in association with the active section.

Referring now to the drawings for a betterunderstanding of my invention I show in Figsl to 8, inclusive, a condenser comprising a shell 10 encompassing a tube nest 1l of the well-known radial flow type. The condensable vapors are admitted into the shell of the condenser through aninlet12 and condensate is removed therefrom from a hot- VAt each end of the condenser shell are attached water bones14' and 16. The water bones 14 and 1G areeach divided by a partition as shown at 17 in Fig. 2. Cooling water passing through the tube nest is admitted into the water box 1G through inlets 2l and 22 and, after passing through the tubes is discharged from the opposite end through conduits 23 and 211. Vvhenever it is desired to cut out a section of the tube nest hforcleaning or other purposes, the conduits,

such as en and Q4 on one side of the con denser are closed olf as by means of valves 26 andQT.V Thereupon no ycooling water passes "through that side of the water bof; and tube nest controlled by said conduits and the water box may be entered as by means of doors 28 28 provided on the head of the water box and the tubes cleaned.

Disposed centrally of the tube nest 11 is an air offtale 31. The air oflitalre Slis a boX- lile structure extending longitudinally from end-toend of the tube nest and provided along each of its sides with ports such as SQMBQ for theV admission of air and noncondensable vapors thereto. Disposed above the air offtalre 31 is a pan 33 into which condensate from the tubes directly above the air otltale falls and which drains downwardly into the shell ofthe condenser through notches provided in the/pan as at {d4- 8e adjacent a tube support 36.

In accordance with my invention I provide the air oiitale 31 with solid partition means 37 extending from cndto-end thereof. The partition means 3T divides the air oiltale 31 into two noncommunicating compartments 38 and 39. The compartmentI 38 communi- "conduitlll andl theV-V air and nbn-'condensable gases 'from the :compartment 39 are removedv V,through a`.` 'conduit 42.

Cates, throiigh' its ports 32""vvith tliejlelt hand side 'of the tube iie'st ll asslio'w'n nr Fig. 3, while the compartment 3S) coiiiiiiuiucates through I itsf'ports4 32'With the right hand side of the tubene'st 11,"so that each-otl said compartments communicates with a` portion of the tube nest corresponding to the division of Water flow through said tube nest.

The air and non-condensable fgases from the4 compartment 3S are removed through a y The conduits 41 and i2 areV each provided, eXteriorlyv of the lcbndensei shell, With valves, as 43' and lla, Whereby the flow of air and non-condensable gases t'rom either of' the compartments may be shut off.

After passingfthrough the valves 43and 44; `the`ai'rand n'on-cbndensab'le gases from both compartments]38 and'39 )passes into a 'commonconduit-G. Theconduit '/ihas connected ythereto"suitable air `removal means, ,sucli`asl1ejectofrs'f47i anda-8. Either ot' 'the ejectors 47 or 4,8`ni'ay'be "taken out of service f byv closing a 'valve 49 lor '5l provided in a branch conduitleading thereto from the yconduit 46. VVBy the arrangeinentof air'otltake andy air removaly meansfjust described, the

' and nonconden'sable gases from both 'ot' 'the compartments 38 and 39 or, With 'either the i side'of the air` removal means.v

normal operation,y with lcoolingWaterflowy ing through all of the tubesV and Withjboth valve 43 or vatelofsed,"bo'th 1ej'ect'ors may operate to remove both air 'and non-condensable 'y gases from one of the Vcompartinents 38 or Preferably, wvl'ien'coolingw'ater is passing through a portion only of the tube nest lfl,`bo'th.offthe ejectors 47 and/i8 are utilized.

to' remove/lair and"non-conde'nsable vapors `from'oneoif the compartments '38' or 39.

From the abovedes'cription" yit'will be'apparent that the gases to be condensed entering the condenser through the 'inlet l2 When one side of the tubey nest is cutout of 'opera-V .tionand the conduit' 41 or 42 leading from the air oltake lcominunicating y"with said side is shut oil, would tend to follw 'the path .of least vresistance" direct to'Y the active While,- in

sides o i" the air vremoval means operating to remove air and `non-condensable gases there is. substantially an equal distribution `of the entering vfluid throughout 'the nest, 'this condition vdoes not prevail When cooling i Water is not circulating through a portion of the nest and the associated ports of the' air removal' means 'arerenderedinet'fective Instead ofthe n'ormalilow to substantially all portionsofthe'fnest, the 'entering fluid aslsuineslapath, general, Ytoward the'V active ports ofthe air removal means and any'tend- "ency"ivhichitheientering luidniay have to permeate through the inactive portion of the lprovide' balie means extending substantially from tube sheetJ to tube sheet of the condenser 7 Within the tube nest. The baille means may be horizontally disposed and comprise' a platef'such as 51 arranged beneath the air odtake 3l as shown in Fig.l 3. WVitli this forni ot' baille, assuiningithe right hand side of the tube nest, as seen in Fig; 3, out of operation, and the valve' la closed to kprevent the removalv o--air and non-condensable vapors from the compartment v39,V the gases in the upper region of vthe right handside Will .pass to the left above the drain'pan 33, While suchgases as may iind their Way further into the right'hand portion oif'thenest Will pass to the lett below the' batlle 51'; in either case, these gases must coine'in Contact With considerable number oftubcs "throutgh'y which cooling Water is circulating'b'e'fore `the air and non-condensable vaporsl are removed throi'igh the ports y32 of the o'lltake compartment38. It will thus' be seen that I have p'rovided'an efficient! meansfor preventing;

the by-passing of gases directly from the inactive side to the air oiltake and that all gases which are removed by the air oi'ltalte must iirstcome in Tcontactyvith a considerablenumber of cooled tubes and that the drain pan 33 is so arranged as to constitutel a baille: t-hus I-'am able to provide the bailling meansl by using only one additional element, namely, the baille 51.

y While this bailling means is a valuable clon-V tributory means rit is not essential to the operation of my improved'condenser `for it is obviousthat vapors from the inactive portion of the 'nest' will come into contact with some of the cooled'tubes even Withtherplate 51 removed anditlie drain pan 33 spaced above the eilt-alte so as'to be ineffective as a baille.

As' a large volume ot fluid enteringifthe inactive side of the nest willpass abovefthe 'air oiltaketo the active side. I may use only the drain jpan 33 as myfballiing mea-nfs' land rely upon cooled VtubesV 'betWee-n'the ports 32 of the active side. and that region of the in active side, Awhich extends 'trom the aii" oil-l take downwardly,t to condense thefeondensable'vap'ors y'Which paes-below the 'olltale from the inactive to the active'side.

WVhile, as Ithe preferred form of l@my I invention, l have shown a condenser in which i purposes and wherein, under such conditions, the e'tlicient operation ofthe condenser is not inuiiaired. A

Vhilo I have shown my invention in several forms, it `will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and 'modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

that I claim is2- l, In a surface condenser,r a tube nest, a Water box yhaving a partition therein dividing it into sections each controlling the flow of `cooling Water through a portion of the tube' nest, an air oiftake having partition means therein forming, compartments com- Amun'icating with the portions of the tube nest, means for shutting off the flow of Water through any one of the sections'in the Water box, means :for shutting offithe flow of air and non-condensable vapors through any one of the compartments, and baffle meansA for directing condensable vapors through a cooled portion of the tube nest when the flow of Water and air through another portion is shut off.

E2. In a surface condenser, a tube nest, a Water box having a partition therein dividing it into sections each controlling the flow of cooling Water through a portion of the tube nest, an air offtake disposed Within the tubo nest and having a partition provided therein forming compartments communicatc ing With the portions of the tube nest, means for shutting off the flow of Water through any one of the divisions of the Water box, means for shutting olf the flow of air and non-condensable vapors through any one of the compartments, and baille means for conducting condensable vapors through a cooled portion of the tube nest when the How of 'Water and air through another portion is shut oil. f

3. In a condenser of the surface type, a shell`r a tube nest disposed Within the shell, an air oi'ftake centrally disposed of the tube nest and extending longitudinally thereof from endto-end of said tube nest, a Water box divided into compartments each controlling the flou7 of Water through a portion of the tube nest, means dividing the air offtake into compartments extending substantially from eiid-to-end ofthe tube nest, each of said con'ipartnients conmiunicating with a portion of the tube nest, separate conduits for the removal of air and non-condensable gases from each of the compartments, means for shutting olil the How of Water through a portion *of the tube nest, means for shutting otf the flow of air from the compartment of the air oiftake communicating with said portion of the tube nest, and baille means extending substantially from end-to-end of" the tube nest for directing vapors throiigh a cooled portion of the tube nest when a portion is cut out.`

y i. In a surface condenserof vthe radial flow typo embodying separate means for effootingr a `flow of Water through different portions ofthe tube nest and air removal means communicating With vsaid portions, means for shutting off the flovvof Water through a portion of the tube nest and for shutting off the removal of air and noncondensable gases from said'portion, and a ba'l'lie extending substantially from end-toend of the tube nest effective when the loW of water and `air through a section is sluit oil' to direct vapors entering the condenser through a cooled section of tubes toward its corresponding air removal means. -f

5. In a surface condenser of the radia flow type embodying a tube nest and a divided Water box with means for at Will directing the flow of cooling water through all or a portion of said tubes, an air offtake comprising a divided box-like structure extending substantially from end-to-end of the tube nest and having compartments with portscommunicating,with the portions of said tube nest corresponding to the division of Water flow through said tube nest, separate conduits for the removal of air from each of the compartments, means for shutting off the flow of air and non-condensable gases from any one of the compartments, and a baflle member associated With the air offtake for directing the tioW of vapors through a section of the tube nest associated With an active compartment of the air odtake When the conduit leading from one of the compartments is closed.

6. In a surface condenser of the radial fiow type, a tube nest, a centrally disposed air offtake, means dividing the air offtake into compartments communicating With different portions of the tube nest, separate air removal means communicating With the compartments, and a centrally disposed baffle member extending substantially from end-to-end of the tube nest for directing the iow of vapors toward the tubes associated with an active compartment of the air off take When the air removal from one of the compartments is shut off.

7..V Inf a surface condenser, a tubey nest, aV Water. boX divided into a plurality of sec- LJtions for selectively controlling the flow of Water through corresponding portions of the E tube nest1neans providing an air olltake passagefor each controllable portion of the tube nest, said air oliftale passages extendingrbetivcenthc tubes of their respective portions of the nest, and means to'iuselectively' controlling the removal of air and non-condensa-ble gases througheach ottalre passage. 8.l In a surface condenser, a tube nest, a

Water lbox divided into a plurality et' sec-A tions forvselectively controlling the flow of Water through corresponding portions of the tube nest, means providing an air offtake passage for each controllable portion of the tubenest in juxtaposed relation Withrespect to the tubes ot .its respective portion of the I. gases through each yoiltake passage.

Y 9.-.Ina surface condenser, a tubenest, a .Waterbox divided. into a plurality 'of sections for selectivelyk controlling thetlow of Water through .corresponding portions of the` tube 'inesty means providing an` air oltake k.passage 'for each controllable portion of the tube.nestand means for .selectively control- `lingthe removal ot air and non-condensable gases through each otftake passage.

10. In a surface condenser,.a tube nest, a

fwater boxldividfedinto a plurality of sections for selectively controllingrthe How of Water through v,corresponding. portions ot' the itube nest,..meansproviding anoiltake pas-I sage for eachrcontrollable,portion ofthe v tube nest, and afdrain pan associated With the otftalre: passages for receiving conden- 4o:

3 through av cooled portion of (the tube nest nest, an'dmeans tor selectively controlling .the removal of air and i'ion-condenszvtble sate and directing .condensable vapors j `when anotherportion of the tube nestris cut out oit service. Y i

' 1l. Ina surface condenser, ay tube nest,` a Waterv box dividedv int-o a plurality ofsectionstor selectively controlling'thef flow of Walter lthrough corresponding portions of the tube nest, means providing an 4air vofttake passage for each controllableportion'of vthe tubene'subaiile means at v theV upper extremthe oftltalre passages and'` batlie means tube VVnest,j1neansv providing an aire oliftake passageY for each controllable portion ofthe tube nest kand a transversely extending battle member below. the olt'ake passages tordirecting condensable vapors through a cooled portion of the tube nest When anotherportion of the tube nest is cut-out of service.

' 13.` In asurface condenser; a tube nest, a WaterboXfdi'vided'into a plurality 'of sections tor selectively controlling ythe iowtof `Water through corresponding portions of the 1 tube nest, means providing an air offtake passage foreach'controllable portion of the tube. nest, e and battle .means arranged above and b eloWthe oftalre ypassages ordnecting condensable; vapors through a cooled -portion of v'the ltube liestwlien another-=portion 'of the't-ube nest is cutout of service.

. In testimonywvhereof, lfhave hereunto .subscribed my name this '30th' day ofSept-Qmberi 1926 JoHN- 2H. fysMirH. 

